The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1887-07-27
WHOLE NO. 1880.
The Training of Children.

The loving instruction Of a mother may
seem 10 have been thrown away. but i
will appear after many days When
was a little child, said good old man
my mother used 20 bid me kneel down
beside her. and placed her hand upon my
head while she prayed. Ere was old
enough ID Know Ter wor,h she died, and
yas ie.t tco nueh to ny own gs.iIance
like others 4 was inclined 90 ell PAS.
sions. Dut often felt myself checked ard
as it were. drawn 1ack by soft htnd up-
on my head. When a young maa trav-
eled in foreign lands, and vas exposed 70
many temptations, buf when | would
nave yielded that some hand was upon
nv head. and was saved. / seemed g
feel its pressure as in the happy days oi
my infancy and sometimes there came
with it voice in my heart, voice that
was obeyed: q Oh, do not this Slcksd
hess. my son, nor sin against God
With children YOU must mix gentle
ness with tirnness. 4 mar who Is
learning 70 play on trumpet, and pet
ted child are two very dIsagreeable com
panions If a mother never has head
aches through rebuking her little children
she shall nave plenty of heartaches when
they grow up.
At the same time "A mother should not
hamper her child with unnecessary, fool
ish restrictions. IL Is a great mistake %
fancy your boy is made Of glass, and % be
always telling MIN not to do this, or not
to do that, for fear Of breaking himself
On the principle never to give pain an
less 1t Is TO prevent a greater pain, you
should grant every request which is at all
reasonable, and let him see that your de-
NAL Of a thing Is for his own good, and
not simply 10 save trouble but once bav-
ing duly settled thing. hold to it. Tn
less a child learns from the frst that his
mothers yea IS yea, and her nay. nay, it
will get into the habit Of whining and en-
deayOring 10 coax her out Of her refusal.
and her authority viii soon be gone.
Happiness i the natural condition Of
every normal child, and if the small boy
or girl has peculiar facility for one
thing, it IS for self entertainment with
certain granted conditions. ofcourse. One
if these is physical freedom, and few
rude and simple plIythings. Agreeable
occupation is great necessity for chill
dren as for adults. and beyond this, al
most nothing can be contributed 70 the
real happiness Of child.
try 50 hard to make my children
happy said mother with a sign. one
day, in despair at herefOrts. stop try
ing, said a practical friend at her elbow.
. and do as a neighbor of mine does
" Why. she simply lets her children grow
and develop naturally. She has always
thrown them, as far as practical. upon
their own resources, taught them to wait
upon themselves, no matter how many
servants she had, and to construct their
own plasthings. When she returns horne
from an absence they await but one thing
their mothers kiss Whatever has
been bought for them is bestowed when
the needed time comes Nothing excit-
ing is allowed b them at night. and
they 90 70 bed and to sleep in whole
some mental state that insures restf1l
slumber. They are taught to love nature
and to feel that there is nothing arrayed
50 finely as the lily Of the field, the bees.
and the butterflies; that there is nothing
50 mean as a lie, nor anything 50 misera-
bic as disobedience; that it is . disgrace
to be sick. and that good health, good
teeth, and good temper come from plain
food, plenty Of sleep. and being good
In order to thrive, children require Ger
tain amount Of letting galone.r Supreme
faith in the mother, few toys, no inery,
plain food, no drugs. and early to bed are
the best things for making them happy.
.TTe Qsayer.